In the modern automotive landscape, cars like the BMW M550d xDrive are pretty much unicorns. While most of the world is trying to increase regulations on diesel engine, while also trying to slowly move away from them, the Germans are making more and more powerful versions. The M550d is a perfect example of that. It’s also flipping brilliant. This new video from AutoTopNL shows off a POV drive of the M550d and it makes us even more jealous that it isn’t sold here.
But let’s begin with what the BMW M550d is. Much like the BMW M550i, the M550d is a performance variant of the 5 Series but not a proper M car. However, rather than packing the twin-turbo petrol V8 of the M550i, the BMW M550d uses a 3.0 liter quad-turbocharged inline-six cylinder diesel engine. That’s right, quad-turbo. As in four turbochargers. On a straight-six diesel. Just that in itself is incredible. The fact that it makes 400 hp and a monstrous 560 lb-ft of torque is even better.
According to BMW, the M550d can get from 0-60 mph in 4.4 seconds while also returning 38 mpg, highway. That’s almost absurd. It’s BMW M3 fast but gets diesel luxury car fuel economy. What more can one ask for from a car?
In this video, we get to see what it’s like to drive the BMW M550d first hand, as the video is from the driver’s point-of-view. And it’s honestly hard to nitpick a car that’s this well-rounded. It also shows off just how far the automotive industry has come.
While driving the M550d, you can see how fast it really accelerates. It’s seriously quick. Yet, look at the interior. It’s swathed in rich leather, with contrast stitching, and it’s trimmed in gorgeously finished wood. It’s also surprisingly quiet, despite having a quad-turbocharged diesel engine under its hood. There’s no shortage of luxury, here. Yet it’s still bonkers quick. It’s almost impossible not to love that combination. Oh, and to sweeten the deal, it comes as a wagon as well. Man, Europeans are lucky.
